Buckle.



B.. U. SOUREK.

BUCKLE.

APPLICATION FILED 00T. 17,1908.

934,577, Patented Sept. 21, 1909.

l Mallnesses: INVENTOR- udlo joare,

@f Bf RUDOLPH U. SOUREK, OF AKRON, OHIO.

BUCKLE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 21, 1,999.

Application filed Gctober 17, 1908. Serial No. 455,298.

T o all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, RUDOLPH ULMAN SoU- man, a citizen of the United States, residing at Akron, in the county of Summit and State of hio, have invented new and useful I1nprovements in Buckles, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to buckles designed to be used in connection with belts, straps and the like, the object of which is\to provide a buckle comprising two parts, one of which constitutes the body portion and the other a cooperating member, adapted when united with the body portion, to firmly hold a strap without the necessity of providing apertures therein for thev recept-ion of a buckle tongue.

A further object of this invention is to provide a buckle of the character described, so constructed that a strap or belt used in connection therewith may be secured thereby at substantially any point on the surface thereof and be there secured firmly against unintentional release; while at the same time the opening or unclasping of the buckle may be accomplished by the operator easily and quickly.

A still further object is to make a buckle which will perform all the functions of an ordinary buckle and be strong, safe, durable and efficient in use, easy to manufacture and easily set up.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, the invention consists in the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts constituting the invention to be hereinafter specifically described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings which form a aart hereof, wherein is shown the preferred embodiment of the invention, illustrated by way of example in connection with a strap, but it is to be understood that changes, variations and modifications can be resorted to which comes within the scope of the claim hereunto appended.

In the drawings, in which similar reference numerals indicate like parts in the different figures: Figure 1 is a perspective view of the body portion of a buckle constituting this invention. Fig. 2 is a similar View of the cooperating member or bail thereof. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the device shown in Figs. 1 and 2, illustrated in connection with a strap; and, Fig. 4 is a central, vertical, longitudinal sectional View of the device shown in Fig. 3.

Referring to the drawings in detail, the body portion of the buckle comprises member preferably formed of sheet metall with lateral 1Jortions 1 1. havinO' downwardl 1- l n a .turned flanges 2, 2, in which'are formed recesses 3. Connecting the lateral portions 1, 1, is an end bar li, center bar 5 and a front bar (i, all preferably integral with the lateral portions and spaced apart from each other to form between them transversely-extending slots 7 and 8. r[he cross bar 5 is preferably provided along` its inner face which adjoins the slot 7 with serrations 9, for a purpose to be later described. The general contour of the body portion of the buckle is formed upon curvilinear lines, as clearly shown in the drawings, especially in F ig. 1.

Adapted to be passed through the slot 7 is the cooperating or movable member of the device, hereinafterl called the bail, which consists of an open skeleton frame in the shape of a parallelogram having two transversely-extending bars 10 and 11, united by substantially parallel side bars 12, 12. The open portion inclosed by the above described bars is intersected by a cross bar 13, dividing said space into transversely-extending slots 14. and 15. The bar 10 is preferably provided, although not necessarily so, with a forwardly-projecting lip 1G, for a purpose to be later described. Extending laterally beyond the normal outlines of the side bars 12 are lugs 17.

The general contour of the movable member, shown best in Fig. 2, is in the form of an obtuse angle with the cross bar 13 at the apex of the angle and with the bars 12 diverging therefrom.

In using this buckle, the handle or coperating member, shown in Fig. 2 is passed through the slot 7 in the body portion of the device until its further progress is interrupted by the engagement of the projecting lugs 17 thereof encountering the recesses 3 of said body portion. The rear or fixed end of a strap 19 is then passed around the cross bar 13 of the movable member and secured in position by means of a holdfast device, designated by the reference numeral 18. The loose end of the strap 19 is then wrapped about a suitable object and passed upwardly through the slot 8 of the body member and through the slot 14: of the movable bail and from thence outwardly. If desired, the free end 20 of the strap 19 may be passed under the cross bar 11 in order to retain it in position and prevent its becoming unintentionally d1splaced.

The gripping action on a strap secured to a buckle such as has been hereinbefore def 20 against being withdrawn from its en-,

gagement with the buckle, this being augmented by the fact that in this invention, the inner face of the cross bar 5 of the body portion may be provided with serrations or teeth 9 which increase the gripping action of the buckle upon the strap. It will be obvious that the greater the pull on the strap 19 the greater will be the force with which the cross bar l() forces the under face of the strap against the inner face of the'cross bar 5, thereby eifectually securing the strap in position against unintentional withdrawal.

In order to release the buckle from its gripping action on the strap, the operator raises the upper free end of the movable member which comprises the cross bar l0 by grasping the lug 17 or by inserting a finger under the lip 16, which action on the part of the operator removes the pressure of this cross bar l() on the strap, thereby releasing the same from engaging relation with the in ner edge of the cross bar 5 and permitting its free removal from connection with the entire buckle. IVhen the free end of the strap has been moved from engagement with the buckle, the two lugs 17 will rest in the recesses 3 andV prevent the movable member from becoming detached from cooperating relation with the body portion, said lugs thereby constituting stops for preventing separation of the parts of the buckle when detached from a strap.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

A two-part buckle comprising an integral body portion provided with lateral bars united by a central and end cross-bars, the latter spaced from said central bar, the portions of said lateral bars rearwardly of said central bar being depressed to constitute seats, a removable bail comprising two lateral bars each bent to form an obtuse angle united by a central and end cross bars, said lateral bars provided with laterally-extending lugs positioned opposite the termini of the front cross bar adapted to be received in said seats for pivotally-supporting said bail with respect of said body portion, the central bar of said bail adapted to receive the fixed end of a strap and the forward cross bar of said bail adapted to cooperate with the central cross bar of said body portion for engaging a strap. l

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

RUDOLPH U. SOUREK.

IVitnesses:

C. E. HUMPHREY, GLENARA Fox. 

